Timeless Beauties

Get to know Gail Zelitsky and Catherine Marienau.

Ask Us Beauty Magazine

Published in

Ask Us Beauty Magazine

5 min readApr 12, 2022

Gail Zelitsky

I was born in 1941 on Chicago’s north side. My mother and her sister married my father and his brother, nine years apart. Between them, they had five children, in addition to the two children from another sister and one child from another brother. The eight of us grew up together, forever cementing the importance of cousins, aunts, and uncles to our lives. When I was eight years old, my father opened a new business, Foremost Sales Promotions, Inc., which franchised independent liquor stores. I loved going with him to visit the store owners in their attic offices, playing among the beer kegs and listening to them talk. I married at 19, graduated from college with a degree in elementary school, and had three children. I became a stay-at-home mom because our second child was emotionally and mentally challenged, similar to my husband, who left us after 15 years. I found myself in a difficult situation. I had no way to make a living, and our home was soon to be underwater since no one paid the mortgage. My father then offered me a job in his company and helped us move to a smaller home. From the beginning, I loved working with him. I interacted with our multi-ethnic store owners, became ‘Madalyn Sherry,’ and wrote a wine newsletter; I created public events and learned best practices in marketing, merchandising, sales promotions, operations consulting, and leadership. I always said I received my Doctor’s Degree from working with my father. In spite of how difficult those years were, I flourished. In 1980, I married the love of my life, and we spent 29 wonderful years together. He died in 2009, and I currently live solo in a beautiful high-rise in downtown Chicago.

Catherine Marienau

I was born in 1949 to a farm family in west-central Minnesota, where I lived in a multi-generational home for many years. I attended a one-room country schoolhouse for grades 1–6. I was a good student in high school, popular with several different groups, and homecoming 1st princess. At age 18, I was crowned Fiesta Queen (1967–68), which followed the Miss America format (known as a beauty pageant at that time). My role was to represent my hometown at pageants and festivals around the state. I began college at the University of Minnesota in autumn 1967. I struggled with the image of being a ‘beauty queen’ and model, particularly as I became active in women’s and civil rights movements, which has continued to the present. I earned my degrees at the University of Minnesota- BA in anthropology, MA in social and philosophic foundations of education (anthropology and education), and Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis on innovative education for adult learners. My 50+ year career has always centered on innovative adult higher education, creating degree programs, teaching and mentoring, researching and writing, and presenting. I have consulted and conducted workshops with colleges in Ireland and East Africa. Teaching, writing, and presenting about women’s issues have been my passion since the early 1980s. I am currently focusing on Women Over 70: Aging Reimagined, and I am co-authoring a book on holistic health options for postmenopausal women. Currently, I live solo in a progressive community just outside Chicago proper, near my 31- year-old daughter.

Gail, how did you and Catherine meet?

(GZ) After my first husband left us, I decided to go for a master’s degree in business and enrolled at Loyola University. I was in my first year when I met my future husband. I was working full time, responsible for three children, and active in several organizations. I realized something had to go if I was to nurture this new relationship, so I dropped out. When Al died, I knew the time was right and enrolled in DePaul University’s School for New Learning, which allowed me to use life experiences for certain coursework. To my delight, Catherine was assigned as my faculty mentor, and I took a few courses with her. Once I matriculated at 74, we became good friends, continued to meet regularly, and discovered our common interests: women’s issues and learning. As Catherine prepared to retire and was turning 70, I mentioned my desire to interview 70 women over 70 and to create a podcast. She said, “I’m in,” and thus began our odyssey towards learning how to podcast, developing it as a business, and finally launching Women Over 70: Aging Reimagined in June 2019.

What does age mean to you, and what do you enjoy most about being your age?

GZ) I love parties and happily look forward to all my birthday celebrations- at every age. Until I turned 70, I never really thought about getting older. Life has always been interesting and full of adventure, and it seems to me I will go on forever. Happily, longevity is in my genes. I love how I am seen today as having wisdom to share, and I am blessed with life-long friends who make every day meaningful. (

CM) I have always been conscious of my age, marking each decade and halfdecade with notable celebrations with family and friends, usually involving travel. Each milestone is an opportunity to reflect on the past and anticipate what might come next. Now I enjoy having the freedom and time to pursue my passion projects and connect with family and friends in a more leisurely fashion. I am also more confident in expressing my voice about many issues, most importantly that women over 70 matter.

What is your favorite beauty product?

(GZ) Purity One-Step Facial Cleanser by Philosophy.

(CM) Clarins.

What advice would you give the younger generation when it comes to beauty/ wellness?

(GZ) Make time for yourself- you deserve it. And exercise, nutrition, and well-being will make you ageless.

(CM) Get on the wellness train early and make self-care a priority, regardless of all your other commitments and obligations.

How do you define beauty?

(CM) Being your authentic self and presenting your best self.

(GZ) Your inner spirit defines your beautykindness, generosity, and love all help you shine and showcase your beauty.

Do you have a motto you live by?

(CM) Be kind to others and to yourself; be a friend.

(GZ) Stand in your own power.

Gail and Catherine host the podcast Women Over 70: Aging Reimagined. Today, almost 40,000 listeners tune in weekly to the stories celebrating women’s enduring courage, compassion, and contribution. Our compelling stories shatter the myth that we become irrelevant as we age. Older women want to be seen and heard, and most wish to continue making an impact.